Epatoys company

Thomas Acquarone’s Toy Workshop is established in 1930, his founder belonging to a family of one of the oldest printers in Thessalonica. He is a remarkably driven and creative man, not content with the family’s fame and clientele as the first printers that brought zincography in Northern Greece. 
His original idea came by noticing the used led letters in the printer, sold until then as scrap… A raw material already “ingrained” in his life, started taking shape and color in his mind for something different!

He bought special moulds from Germany in order to create his first led toy soldiers and to exhibit them in Thessalonica’s International Fair. From then on things got under way, their huge success making Thomas Acquarone realize that toys were his future.

He quits the family business, leaving printing in the hands of his brothers and he expands the range of toys he manufactures, developing tops, wooden puzzles with relief surfaces, wooden constructions and wooden cubes depicting fairy tale pictures.

The small Toy Workshop was now in need of helping hands, and everyone that had ever worked for this gifted man, would forever hold in their memory his strong personality. From lead to wood and shortly afterwards the first board games with led pawns appear.

A few years before WWII, the famous metal constructions make their first appearance. The world turmoil briefly stops the expansion of the workshop, but 1948 heralds a time of intense post war changes. Emilio, Thomas’s eldest son takes over the company and at the stands of Thessalonica’s International Fair a series of new toys appear, clearly affected by the war era: military jeeps, airplanes and tanks.

80% of production is now headed for Athens, and from there on to every corner of Greece. From 1956 on, the workshop changes the company title and is now known as “EPA toys”. Renato Acquarone, the youngest son, is now in charge, and he leads the company to new heights. He begins a new series of plastic toys and a new series of board games, reflecting as always the contemporary era: “Sputnik”, “Lunik” etc. It is now obvious that the company has evolved to something more than a small workshop: it is a modern, dynamic small industry.

Renato proves to be an accomplice successor and his insightful look in the future, leads   “EPA toys” in a new, modern plant in 1972 in the Thermi area of Thessalonica. In the 3.000 sq. meters of this company owned plant, 70 employees will now work making toys.

Parallel to the growth, “EPA toys” which is now equipped with modern new machines, takes part in international fairs and the company’s logo becomes a synonym for Greek quality toys!

Renato will eventually step down, leaving his two sons Emilio and Thomas at the helm. By far, the oldest toy manufacturing business in Greece, “EPA toys” has expanded in all areas of Greece, and has a steady presence in Cyprus. With renewed machinery, a reputation and tradition that very few Greek companies have, our company heads in the 21 century…

While continuing the tradition of local production, “EPA toys” has successfully begun a new endeavor: exclusive representation of selected international toy companies, chosen for their excellent quality and responsible craftsmanship.